This Slow Roast Leg of Lamb is going to take your next Sunday roast to a whole new level! It’s ULTRA EASY and very forgiving. It does take patience, but you’ll be rewarded with tender lamb leg that can be pulled off the bone, served with a wickedly delicious rosemary garlic infused gravy.
After more ideas? Browse all my roast lamb recipes!
Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – lamb leg should either be roasted exactly such that it’s blushing pink inside – either whole or butterflied – or long and slow so it’s ultra tender.
Blushing pink = meat thermometer or holding-your-breath-cross-your-fingers for that moment when you carve, hoping for juicy lamb rather than grey and dry. If that’s what you’re after, use this classic Whole Roast Lamb Leg recipe or my Greek Butterflied Leg of Lamb for a quicker boneless version – and yes, you really need a meat thermometer.
The easier way to roast Lamb Leg
If you’re after a much easier, less stressful way to roast lamb leg, cook it long and slow. You won’t need a knife to carve this. Just pull the meat off the bone with tongs.
And it’s Amazing. With a capital A!
Choose the best roast lamb recipe for you!
Ahhh, lamb, how I love thee! Some people love learning how to do fancy cake decorations. I admire from afar – I highly doubt you’ll ever see a towering 3 tier cake on here.
But big hunks golden brown roasted hunks of meat? THAT you will find here! 🙂 And I’ve shared quite a few roast lamb recipes over the years, so here’s a quick run down on each just in case this slow roasted version isn’t what you’re after:
Roast Lamb Recipes
Slow roasted lamb leg – THIS recipe, a leg of lamb slow cooked until the meat is fall apart tender!
Classic Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy – the classic, perfectly blushing pink inside
Slow Cooker Roast Lamb – fall apart goodness in the convenience of your slow cooker
Slow Roasted GREEK Leg of Lamb – garlicky lemony lamb that is slow roasted until meltingly tender
Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder – the juiciest, most succulent roast lamb you will ever have!
Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma – flavour bomb! Your favourite Lamb Shawarma, slow roasted and piled over couscous or stuffed in pita bread
See all Roast Lamb recipes
How to make slow roast Leg of Lamb
The leg of lamb is roasted on a bed of onion, garlic and rosemary which serves three purposes:
to keep the lamb elevated out of the pan juices for even cooking;
flavour the flesh that’s in contact with it; and
flavours the pan juices which is used to make the gravy.
All the lamb needs is a sprinkle of salt and pepper, drizzle of olive oil. Add beef broth/stock and water into the pan (keeps everything all nice and moist + makes pan juices for gravy), cover then slow roast for 5 hours until tender and fall apart.
For an incredible hands-off version of this slow roast leg of lamb, try the Slow Cooker Roast Lamb!
How to make gravy for Roast Lamb
Just set the pan on the stove, mix in flour, then the pan juices and water Cook until it becomes a gravy consistency, then strain. I doubt you’ll need extra salt but add a good grind of pepper if you’re so inclined.
A great gravy comes down to the flavour in the pan juices and this one knocks it out of the park!
Sides to serve with roast lamb
Complete your meal! Here are a few suggestions for sides that go really well with roast lamb:
I promised this was easy, and I meant it. It’s forgiving because if the meat’s not tender enough, you can just stick it back in the oven until it is – and you can cook for even an hour beyond necessary and it’s still going to be juicy.
If the gravy gets too thick, no dramas, just add a splash of water. If the gravy is lumpy, no worries, because in this recipe, it’s strained.
In short – it’s pretty hard to stuff up. If you’re a roast lamb first-timer, just give yourself a couple of extra hours because this lamb reheats great in the microwave or oven, as does the gravy.
Sunday night roast is never going to be the same again! – Nagi x
Just before you go!
Saturday 11 April 2020 – That you are here, looking at this roast lamb recipe for Easter 2020 fills my heart with happiness because it says that you are in some way able to hold onto Easter traditions, despite being stuck at home and unable to celebrate with extended family.
But for many healthcare workers around the world, including my hometown of Sydney, they will be working too hard to celebrate Easter. These brave men and women who are literally risking their lives to save ours.
I feel morally obliged to do something, so I am running a program where you can buy a meal from a local business for our overworked Frontliners. Too exhausted to cook, many are turning to fast food and those who try to cook are faced with empty supermarket shelves.
If you would like to Shout A Meal for a Sydney Frontliner to express your thanks, please click here for my fundraiser and here is more information about my program “Shout A Meal”.
Thank you for reading, and Happy Easter! – Nagi x
Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 2.25 kg / 4.5 lb leg of lamb , bone in (or shoulder) (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole garlic head , unpeeled, cut in half horizontally
- 1 onion , quartered (unpeeled is fine)
- 2 rosemary sprigs (2 = whisper of rosemary flavour, 4 sprigs = stronger flavour)
- 3 cups beef stock/broth , low sodium (or homemade)
- 2 cups water
Gravy:
- 4 tbsp flour (white)
- 1 cup water
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170°C/335°F (standard) or 150°C (fan).
- Place garlic, onion and rosemary in a metal roasting pan.
- Season lamb: Place lamb leg right side up in the pan. (Note 2) Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and rub it in.
- Turn lamb over and place it so it mostly sits on the garlic and onion. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper, rub it in. (Video helpful here)
- Add liquids and cover: Drizzle lamb with olive oil. Pour broth and water around the lamb – it won't cover it, that's ok, the lamb sinks into it. Cover with foil (don't use a lid, you want a bit of liquid to steam out).
- Slow roast: Place in the oven and roast for 4.5 hours. (See Notes for roasting time table)
- Check meat: Remove from the oven, remove foil. Turn lamb over. Check it to ensure the meat is tender enough to pry a bit off easily with a fork. If not, return, covered, to oven.
- Brown lamb: Return uncovered lamb to oven for a further 45 minutes or until well browned.
- Rest: Remove lamb, spoon over pan juices generously. Transfer to serving platter, cover loosely with foil while you make the gravy (stays warm for 1 – 1.5 hours).
Gravy:
- Skim fat: Use a large spoon to skim off and discard some of the fat from the surface of the liquid.
- Add flour: Place pan on the stove on medium high. When the liquid bubbles, add flour. Use a whisk to mix it in – this may take a few minutes as the liquid reduces.
- Add water: Once it looks like sludge (see video), whisk in 1/2 – 1 cup of water until it becomes a gravy consistency to your taste. Adjust salt and pepper to taste – I rarely add extra salt.
- Strain gravy into a bowl, pressing juices out of the onion etc. Pour gravy into jug.
Serving:
- The meat is tender so you will only need tongs to tear the meat off. Serve with gravy!
Recipe Notes:
6. Calories in the nutrition are higher than actual because I do not know how to adjust for the fat that is skimmed off the liquid before making the gravy. I usually throw out about 1/3 cup which means the calories is probably closer to 500 calories per serving, and that’s assuming all the gravy is consumed.Nutrition Information:
Originally published Mary 2017. Updated for housekeeping matters April 2020 – no change to recipe!
More Roast Lamb Recipes
I love a good roast lamb – so I’ve shared a few over the years! Here are some of my favourites – or browse the whole recipe collection.
Best of Sunday Supper Roasts
Life of Dozer
The time I had ambitions for him to be the next Kleenex puppy…
This sounds delicious. Will this recipe still work with boneless leg lamb?
Help!! I’ve made this roast with smaller portions, but this time I have a 5 kg leg of lamb for Christmas. How long does it need to roast for? Thanks
Oh my gosh, this was quite easy to make! So so very delicious and the garlic gravy sauce came out so delicious with the mashed potatoes. Five stars all day long sooooo delicious! Follow the instructions. You’ll get it right every time. Thank you for this beautiful delicious! recipe. Greatly appreciate!!
I’ll be cooking this the day before and storing in the fridge. Just wondering what temperature to set the oven for reheating and for how long?
I’m very excited to try this recipe!
I need this answer too please!
Yes I’m doing the same! Are you planning to fully cook for the 4.5 hours the day before? I’m trying to work out the best method to make sure its not dry the next day!
Can you make this recipe the day before and then re-heat in the oven or will it dry out?
Melt-in-the-mouth perfection; nothing more need be said.
Awesome recipe one of the best leg of lamb recipes I have found yet. Made the best gravy too.
Made this a few times before with this recipe and it’s always excellent. Today, as my wife has developed an allergy to the onion/garlic family, I made it on a bed of sweet potato (yam), carrots and parsnips. I was worried, but it’s come out really well and the caramelised veg are going to be turned into the base for a soup.
Max Hutchinson, ppl from the US use ‘Yam’ but it’s totally uninformed and confusing. It’s Kumera. Yam is a different root and much tastier than kumera. So if you want to say yam, which word are you going to use to describe it? It’s almost as annoying as the imperial measuring system used by only the US and Libya. Although the UK unofficially still uses it for some things. Why you’d do things in 12s I have no idea?!
So easy and super delicious.
This turned out super tender and delicious and turned out great for our Thanksgiving dinner. My family loved it. It was more tender than if I had cooked it in a crockpot. Thanks.
Hi Nagi. Love this recipe. Would it work with a leg of venison? It’s a lot leaner of course.
So I initially thought that the land was not as flavourful as I had expected even with extra rosemary…..but I was wrong. The flavours were there but in the background….the meat was in the foreground. I appreciated the flavours of both the meat and the herbs. Texture was absolutely perfect… can’t cook lamb any other way now… thank you…
Used this recipe for a 1 kg half leg of lamb. Cooked it for 2hours 20 minutes and uncovered for 45 minutes. Left the bone in half leg to rest for 30 minutes covered in tin foil on a plate while I made the gravy. It was superb. Thank you Nagi!
Delicious! So easy and it really does fall off the bone. The gravy was yummy too 🙂
Hi Nagi, does the lamb have to be at room temperature before cooking?
I am not a big lamb lover, I find it quite fatty actually. But this recipe has made me fall in love with it. So simple and very delicious. My husband was very impressed and the kids enjoyed it as well. Tgis is my go to recipe when ever we want lamb. 😋
Absolutely AWESOME slow roasted Leg of Lamb, I also slow roasted the veggies in Duck Fat and the Gravy was EXCELLENT.
It was the 1st time I’ve slow roasted a meal, 2 thumbs up 👍👍
I’ve been making this recipe for a long time now, and every time it comes out delicious. It’s my go to lamb recipe.
BEST ROAST LAMB! This was so yummy! The meat fell off the bone. The bone was stripped clean wish ease. It’s such simple flavours but well worth the time.
Wow, this was delicious and my family said it was the best lamb they have ever had! My adult daughter cannot have onions so I used large carrots to keep the roast elevated, they were so tasty! You could really taste the rosemary and garlic which was wonderful. So easy and delicious! Gravy was a nice to have, but not really needed and frankly it was most of the work. A new staple at our house. Thanks for this yummy recipe!!